One in 10 Americans Now Vape but Most Also Use Regular Tobacco Products

adminJune 12, 2015Comments Off on One in 10 Americans Now Vape but Most Also Use Regular Tobacco Products

E-cigarette use may be on the rise but isn’t helping Americans kick tobacco addictions, according to new research.

A poll of 5,679 Americans conducted by Reuters found 75% of people who use electronic cigarettes or other vaporizing devices continue to also smoke traditional tobacco products. The poll indicates that this population of “vapers” is now up to roughly 10% of U.S. adults and 15% of U.S. adults under the age of 40. This number represents a significant rise from 2013, when the U.S. government estimated the figure to be about 2.6% of Americans. Almost 70% of this poll’s e-cigarette users claim to have started in the last year.

While about 40% of e-cigarette-using respondents said they were motivated to use e-cigarettes because they could be smoked indoors and are cheaper than most tobacco products, a majority of users also cited vaping as a safe alternative to smoking. In fact, researchers have yet to corroborate this. The FDA has even proposed regulations requiring e-cigarette manufacturers to add health warnings to their labels.

Some 80% of respondents also identified vaping as “a good way to help people quit smoking.”

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 17.8% of U.S. adults are current tobacco smokers.